2016: Acquire, Build and Grow

With unspeakable acts of terror and world instability, politicians who lower rather than raise the political dialogue, extreme weather conditions, refugees and bills we have no hope of paying, difficult doesn’t begin to describe 2015. Mercifully, “the year of struggle” has come to an end. But as challenging as it was, 2015 is nonetheless instructive.

It confirms once again the corruption of our most sacred institutions. Our political system rewards vulgarity, the Bill Cosby mess confounds us and both Cleveland police officers and Chicago street gangs murder with impunity.

Two Thousand and Fifteen also reminds us of our limitations. Be it disease or the lack of health care, gun violence or climate change, bullet or bomb, the Grim Reaper doesn’t give a damn who you are. For the unpardonable sin of going to a movie theater or being in the path of a deadly tornado, it strikes arbitrarily and without mercy.

Thus, the New Year calls for a new approach; a different agenda. We look to neither start nor join a socio-political movement. Nor will we be distracted by fleeting events and meaningless entertainment. The sex change of a former Olympic athlete, the shenanigans of his celebrity family and/or other needless drama are unworthy of our attention.

We realize that having a job and steady paycheck are important. However, gone are the days of barely making it; of trying to please a manager for whom there is no pleasing.

Time grows increasingly short. Now is the time to acquire, build and consolidate. Now is the time to make some serious money.

This sea change in perspective is honest, unforced and long overdue. While always taught the value of money, we were never taught how to monetize our endeavors. We were never encouraged to become wealthy. Instead, we were counseled to get a college degree, land a good job, raise a family, get promoted and retire in comfort. This advice may have had saliency then, but less so now.

Like death, losing a job is capricious and finding another unpredictable. Employers care little for their employees and pensions are rapidly becoming an anachronism. And absent a cadre of cash, retiring in comfort is often a cruel delusion.

Moreover, we are not obligated to do for community for free rather than self for revenue. Profit is not a dirty word. And we can help no one unless we can first help ourselves.

We therefore focus on family and the acquisition, management and growth of financial assets. And we will do so separate and distinct from a job. Our goal is nothing less than financial security and economic independence.

In conclusion, we forego the usual New Year’s resolutions. We would not keep them anyway. We will continue to eat bacon even though we know its many hazards. The same applies to predicting the future. Who knows what the year will bring? We can only pray that we do not fall victim to the world’s insanity.

Still, our mission is clear. Before we shuffle from this mortal coil we shall create wealth and opportunity for those we love. And we shall pursue this goal without shame or hesitation. It bears repeating. It is time to make some money.